Trowels



M r h 6, 1962 F. w. TlMS, JR

TROWELS Filed Jan. 23, 1961 INVENTOR EPA-0 14 77%, JA.

ATTORNEYS 3,023,444 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 Free 3,023,444 TROWELS Fred W.Tims, Jr., Stratford, Conm, assignor to The Camson ManufacturingCompany, West Haven, Conn, a corporation of (Ionnecticut Filed Jan. 23,1961, Ser. No. 84,256 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-235.6)

This invention relates to improvements in trowels and more particularlyto the type of trowels used for laying tiles and applying masticthereto, although it is not to be limited to this particularapplication.

Trowels for the purpose described customarily require various types andsizes of notches in the edges of the blades according to the dilferenttypes of tile and the different mastics to be used therewith. It hasbeen customary heretofore for workmen to use several different trowels,each with a distinctive notched edge, but this requires a multiplicityof implements which not only adds to the cost of the equipmentfurnished, but frequently the particular trowel needed may not beavailable.

One object of this invention is to provide replaceable blades, each witha distinctive and separate notched edge, having all of the standardnotches usually required and which can be used selectively on the trowelwithout requiring multiple trowels in order to work with different tilesand mastics.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of atrowel so as to provide for the quick and simple insertion ofreplacement blades to enable blades having different characteristics tobe used selectively, as required.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trowel with anedge portion for the insertion and removal of replacement blades andwhich will tightly and securely hold a blade in place when fitted to thetrowel.

These objects may be accomplished, according to one embodiment of theinvention, by providing a trowel with a conventional body portion, buthaving, along one edge thereof, a spring pad tightly secured inoverlapping relation with the edge of the body member for insertion of areplacement blade therebetween. The spring pad is so formed that itsfree edge portion is under compression to press tightly against thereplacement blade and thereby hold the latter securely. It is preferredthat a corner of the spring pad at one end thereof be turned upward orcurled, to facilitate the insertion of the blade.

This embodiment of the invent-ion is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trowel embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front end elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross section therethrough, on the line 3-3 in FIG. 1, theblade being held in place within the clamping portion;

FIG. 4 is a similar View, showing the relation of the spring pad to thebody member after removal of the blade; and

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view, showing one end of the trowel.

The invention is illustrated in one embodiment as applied to aconventional form of trowel, such, for example, as may be used by tilesetters. A trowel of this character comprises a body portion having aplate 1 upon which is secured a handle 2, by which the operator maymanipulate the trowel.

The plate 1 may be somewhat narrower than the conventional base plate ofthe trowel and adapted for selective connection with -a blade 3extending along one lateral edge of the plate 1. A series of replaceableblades may be provided for each trowel having respectively differentnotched edges. These blades may be used selectively,

according to the tile or mastic with which the trowel is to be used.

Extending along one edge of the plate 1 of the trowel is a spring pad,generally indicated at 4. This spring pad 4 preferably extendsthroughout the length of the trowel and from the edge of the plate 1inwardly in overlapping relation with the latter a sufficient distanceto insure of secure clamping relation to a selected one of thereplaceable blades 3. The inner edge portion of the spring pad 4 isspaced from the face of the plate 1 by a filler piece 5 interposedtherebetween, and these parts are connected together in this example byrivets 6.

The spring pad 4 is preferably formed of very hard spring steel, so asnot to be deformed readily in service and to maintain a tight grippingaction on the selected blades. For this purpose, it is slightly humpedor bent intermediate the width of the spring pad, as indicated generallyat 7 in FIGS. 4 and 5, whereby the free edge portion of the pad whichextends along the edge of the plate l is under compression, so as toapply pressure securely to the face of the blade 3 intermediate thewidth of the later when the blade is inserted under the spring pad andagainst the filler piece 5.

In order to facilitate the insertion of the blade under the spring pad,a corner thereof is turned upwardly away from the face of the plate 1,as indicated at 8 in FIG. 5.

With each trowel, a plurality of blades may be provided, each withdifferent sizes or shapes or notches, which makes one trowel theequivalent in function of several different trowels. Thus, the workmanneed not carry as much equipment, he is enabled to save the costthereof, as well as the time of hand filing, and it has many advantagesin service.

The blade is held tightly in place at the free edge of the trowel, butmay be removed when it is desired to replace a blade, or a blade may bemoved lengthwise in displaced relation relative to the body of thetrowel, so as to get to close places around radiators and other pointswhere it is ditficult to get access with a conventional trowel. Theblade may be reversed readily as, for example, in patching, with itsnotched edge pressed against the filler piece 5 and having asmooth-edged trowel for service.

The upturned edge portion 8 of the spring pad facilitates the insertionof the blade within the latter, pushing it into place and firmly againstthe filler piece, where it is held securely by the spring pad. Theconstruction is such that the blade is tightly held in place during use,but may be replaced readily when desired. Normally, mastic will not getinto the groove provided under the spring pad, but it is cap-able ofbeing readily cleaned, if necessary.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in oneembodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be madetherein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A trowel comprising a body portion including a base plate, a bladeextending along an edge of the base plate and means for securing theblade to the base plate comprising a spring pad having one edge portionunder compression and bearing upon a face of the base plate, theopposite edge portion of the spring pad overlapping the plate, a fillerpiece interposed between the lastmentioned edge portion and the baseplate, and means securing the parts rigidly together.

2. A trowel comprising a body portion including a base plate, a separateblade extending along an edge of the base plate in overlapping relationtherewith, a spring pad having an edge portion under compression andhearing yieldably on a lateral face of the blade opposed to the baseplate holding the blade in place thereagainst, the

0 opposite edge portion of said spring pad extending in overlappingrelation with the base plate, a filler piece interposed between thelast-mentioned edge portion and the base plate and against which theedge of the blade bears, and means for securing the filler piece andspring pad to the plate.

3. A trowel comprising a body portion including a base plate, a separateblade extending along an edge of the base plate in overlapping relationtherewith, a spring pad having an edge portion under compression andbearing yieldably on a lateral face of the blade opposed to the baseplate holding the blade in place thereagainst, the opposite edge portionof said spring pad extending in overlapping relation with the baseplate, a filler piece interposed between the last-mentioned edge portionand the base plate and against which the edge of the blade bears, andmeans for securing the filler piece and spring pad to the plate, saidspring pad having an offset intermediate portion along the edge of thepad for causing the edge portion to bear initially against the baseplate when a blade is not in place. I

4. A trowel comprising a body portion including a base plate, a separateblade extending along an edge of the base plate in overlapping relationtherewith, a spring pad having an edge portion under compression andhearing yieldably on a lateral face of the blade opposed to the baseplate holding the blade in place thereagainst, the opposite edge portionof said spring pad extending in overlapping relation with the baseplate, a filler piece interposed between the last-mentioned edge portionand the base plate and against which the edge of the blade bears, andmeans for securing the filler piece and spring pad to the plate, saidspring pad having an upturned corner at one end thereof to facilitateinsertion of the blade under the spring pad.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,383,627 Higley July 5, 1921 2,287,231 Cathcard et a1 June 23, 19422,664,792 Cook Jan. 5, 1954' 2,824,330 Williams Feb. 25, 1958

